The Irish Government has delayed its initiative to legislate against 'conversion therapy' due to the challenges involved in the process.

Minister Roderic O’Gorman, leading the bill, expressed the complexities encountered, saying, "the process was fraught with legal difficulties", as reported by The Christian Institute.

O’Gorman stated in January 2023: "Obviously, legislation takes time but I think it’s possible we could have it passed by the end of the year. That’s certainly what I’d be working towards."

He later admitted that "aspects of the Bill were 'extremely complex'" and confessed to lacking "absolute certainty" regarding when the law would materialise.

O’Gorman elaborated on his legislative goals, saying: "I wanted to make sure it covered quasi-religious practices and quasi-therapeutic practices... Balancing those elements is proving tricky in terms of getting those clear legal definitions."

A government-commissioned study provided inconclusive evidence on the prevalence of conversion therapy in Ireland.

The researchers noted that they were "unsuccessful in finding any research literature that was published in Ireland" concerning conversion therapy.

A recent poll for The Christian Institute indicated minimal public interest in pursuing such a law.

Reflecting on voter priorities, Whitestone Insight found that 'Healthcare capacity,' 'Social housing,' and 'Energy security' ranked significantly higher than 'banning conversion practices', which only garnered concern from six per cent of voters.

In contrast to Ireland's stalled efforts, Labour in the UK has declared intentions to present a draft bill aimed at prohibiting 'conversion practices' in England and Wales, signalling a step towards public consultation and legislative examination.